Year of the Spark: January 12
by Sparky Army
Summary: This was nothing like what I expected, but everything I wanted. Twelfth in a year's worth of Sparky stories.


_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers the Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree. _

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

Note from Author (fyd818): This, like the Year of the Spark fic that came right before it, is from my _Journey to Forever_ timeline. Elizabeth's pregnancy was, like the wedding, alluded to but not discussed in detail. So I wanted to write the very happy moment when Elizabeth broke the news to John. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading!

**-Anticipation-**

_fyd818_

I stood in front of the mirror in the quarters I shared with my husband of six or so months. My heart raced excitedly, causing my cheeks to flush with bright color. My stomach felt all tied up in knots. (Now _that_ was a feeling that made sense. . .) Nervously I swept strands of dark chocolate hair behind one ear; changed my mind and brought it forward to hang in loose curls over my cheek again. My green eyes, staring back at me from the reflective glass, seemed much too wide. I wondered to where all my diplomatic calm and poise had fled. Maybe I should join them – just for a while.

Turning sideways, I stretched my shirt down a little so the fabric tightened across my abdomen. I'd always been thin – my grandmother never ceased to try to push food into me every time I visited her. That hadn't changed very much at all as I grew to adulthood.

I sighed. Not even a little bump. Then my lips curved back up into an excited smile as I added – yet.

I paced the confines of our quarters for a while, trying to work off the nervous energy strumming through me. I'd already tried reading, listening to music, doing reports: I could concentrate on none of it. And I knew I couldn't wait for him in my office. There were too many eyes to watch my every movement, too many minds analyzing my every blink and gesture and twitch.

_John, where are you?_ I glanced at my watch, then out the window to where another glorious Atlantian sunset spilled red, yellow, orange, and pink across the horizon. The first few stars were already appearing high in the sky. I groaned and covered my face, smothering the irrational desire to request Chuck to open a wormhole so I could radio him. He was an adult, and he'd be home soon. It just felt like so much longer because of the news I had to share with him.

The pacing was making me sick again, so I went to sit on the edge of the bed. I focused on the door, willing it to open. _He'll be here soon. After all, it _was _your decision to tell him yourself – later. . ._ I fought down an urge to chew on a nail. What would he – would any of them – think when I wasn't in my office or the control room as I usually was when they returned?

What if he didn't return at all? There was always that possibility, every time he led his team through the Stargate. . .

I shut that train of thought down fast, resolutely refusing to gain any kind of a foothold in my mind. Though in a way I did deserve this anxiety. I wouldn't be going though this turmoil if I hadn't snuck off to Carson for some tests that hadn't turned out anything like I'd expected. . .

. . .But instead had turned out to be everything I'd secretly wanted.

I hugged my arms to my stomach, a smile bursting forth from deep within me to brighten my face. I probably looked like a sappy idiot, but I didn't care. I was a woman deeply in love, and before long I would be able to tell my husband, the man who meant everything to me the news that made me feel as if I were glowing. . .

At last, the door opened with a quiet hiss, so suddenly I jumped. John came into the room, moving rapidly, eyes sweeping the room, searching. As he caught sight of me, he came to an equally quick stop, just far enough inside that the door could close behind him. He stared searchingly at me, the tightness around his eyes and mouth telling me how concerned he was. "'Lizabeth?" His beloved voice as he spoke his shortened version of my name was soft and worried.

Now that the moment I'd longed for had arrived, I had trouble speaking. "John! Oh, _John!_" I jumped up and ran to him. Throwing my arms around his shoulders, I hugged him as tightly as I could.

He curled one arm around my waist, the other around my ribs, holding me tightly to his lean body. "Sweetheart, what is it? What's wrong? When you weren't anywhere around the Gateroom when we got back—" His voice trailed off. He sounded like he wasn't sure whether to be excited or scared.

"John, oh my darling, I can hardly believe it! It's finally happened!" I babbled into his chest. I knew I wasn't making sense to him, but I couldn't seem to gather any sort of coherency.

My husband took me firmly by the shoulders. Guiding me back to sit on the edge of the bed, he knelt in front of me, his strong, calloused hands closing around mine. "Elizabeth, please, calm down! I'm about to go crazy – _what's_ happened?!"

I took a deep, calming breath. "A baby, John – I'm pregnant!" I held my breath, waiting.

John's eyes widened. "A – baby? You're pregnant?" I could see him working through it in his mind. Slowly a smile formed, then widened into a grin. "You're pregnant! We're going to have a baby!"

He rose to his feet in one quick movement and snatched me off the bed, lifting me off my feet and hugging me so tightly I could barely breath. "Elizabeth!" He spun me once and put me down. "A _baby_! I— You— We're going to be parents!" His hold on me gentled somewhat as he stared at me, the look in his hazel eyes everything – more than everything – I'd anticipated seeing.

I nodded. Fresh excitement welled up in me. "I had wondered— Well, at first I was afraid I might be going though an early menopause. But that didn't seem right, so I went to see Carson about it. He did some tests and called me back late this afternoon to tell me he had the results. I stopped by the infirmary on the way home, and – and–" I hopped, just because I could, and wrapped my arms around John's waist. "John, we're pregnant!" It seemed like I couldn't say it enough.

John took my face in his hands and tenderly kissed my forehead. "Oh, _'Lizabeth_," he whispered, still sounding as shaken and awestruck as I'd felt when I first heard the news.

Smiling, I grabbed the lapels of his jacket to pull him to me, unable to settle just for a kiss on the forehead. "We're – oh my!" I suddenly turned and ran for the bathroom, hand over my mouth.

John followed. He knelt behind me, one arm supporting my midsection as I disposed myself of my lunch. Afterward, he insisted on wiping my face with a cool, wet washcloth. Asking, "How much longer is that going to last?" He sounded worried.

I gratefully held the cold cloth against my flaming cheeks and sagged against him. "A couple more months. Oh, it's felt like _forever_ I've been waiting for you to get here. I wanted to run right out through the 'Gate and find you when Carson told me. But I had enough sense about me to know I couldn't do _that_. And I couldn't radio because I wanted to tell you in person, and – and—" I trailed off and closed my eyes. "And I'm just so happy and excited I think I'm going to burst."

He kissed my temple. "Me too."

Later that night, as I fell asleep with our joined hands resting over my still-flat stomach, I knew there would be nothing more I could or would ask for from life. Everything was perfect just the way it was.

_-The End-_


End file.
